When Peter Barker '70 P'01 became the ninth chairman of the Claremont McKenna College Board of Trustees in July, he brought to the position experiences that included the challenge and success of having steered the College's recent strategic planning process. The resulting plan, designed to guide the College through the next 10 years and unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees last March, reflects a few of Barker's most notable skills: problem-solving, consensus-building, and facing down a challenge.

The two-year strategic planning process involved more than 130 participants, including trustees, students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni, and examined virtually every facet of the institution. It posed questions such as: How can CMC continue to pursue its mission, but do it better? How can CMC attract better students/leaders and a broader range of backgrounds, viewpoints, and life experiences? How can CMC ensure that its faculty of teacher-scholars is outstanding and continues to become even better?

"Most of the areas addressed in the Strategic Plan go to those core issues," says Barker. "We tried to confront external challenges while preserving what we do best. We'd like to continue on the same course but do it even better, strive for a higher plateau."

Barker said the process benefited from drawing on the strengths and experiences of both the Board and President Pamela Gann. "The plan encouraged perspectives from the trustees, the president, and the College's constituencies, and certainly became stronger through this partnership."

Barker attributes his success as a leader in corporate, civic, and philanthropic service to his ability to approach a situation free from preconceived conclusions. "It is important to allow others to participate," he explains. "Genuinely encouraging others to do so is important to the process. It gets people engaged. I've always felt there's much more to be gained by a group effort, and I intend to follow this approach as chairman of the Board."

Barker, who received an MBA from the University of Chicago, stepped down last May as an advisory director at Goldman Sachs & Co. He had been with the firm 32 years in a variety of senior roles, including general partner, directing the firm's West Coast investment banking activities. On the personal side, besides CMC, his community involvement includes leadership roles in several of the area's most influential philanthropic organizations: Huntington Library trustee; Music Center governor; USC Keck School of Medicine overseer; W. M. Keck Foundation director and treasurer; Fletcher Jones Foundation director; YMCA of Greater Los Angeles vice chair, and Los Angeles Area Boy Scouts Council former chair. He has served on the California State Senate Commission on Corporate Finance Governance and sits on the boards of Ameron International, Stone Energy, Inc., and Avery Dennison. He and his spouse, Robin, are the parents of three grown children, including alumnus Todd Barker '01.

Peter Barker